Finding the perfect fitness trainer that works with your goals and aspirations may be hard, but there are a few things to look for when considering who to pick. Darrell “DP” Patterson is a professional fitness trainer and the owner and operator of HeatXtreme, an app that helps clients get healthy and reach personal goals on their fitness journey.
Patterson spoke with rolling out about some of the qualities to look for in a fitness trainer, and what are the keys to fitness training as well.
What are the three most important qualities in a fitness trainer?
One, knowing nutrition. Two, knowing what your client can and can’t do. I don’t even want to say can’t do but just know what some of their hurdles are and how do you get past those hurdles. And then three, just being able to identify with where they are, and let them be the visionary on how they get to that certain level that they’re getting to. I don’t want to tell them “Look, you did better than you were doing last year.” I want you to actually know that yourself. Like, “I wasn’t able to do a squat, now two weeks later, I’m able to do five or 10. A month later I’m able to do 20 or 30.” Just so they can see that gradual growth themselves.
What is the key to fitness training?
One is understanding what people need and then understanding what they think they want and explaining to them what it takes to get to a certain point. I know one of the key things people always say is “I eat clean” or “My grandmother eats clean but she doesn’t lose weight.” Eating clean doesn’t result in losing weight, eating with purpose results in either losing weight or gaining weight. Once you start explaining the unknown to people, and get them to understand what it is that you’re trying to do and what it takes to get to where they want to be, I think that’s one of the key things to being a great trainer.
Tell us about HeatXtreme.
HeatXtreme is my overall company with a host of different companies under it. I have HeatPerformance, which is my supplement company. HeatChallenge which is my quarterly challenge where we give away cash for transformations. I have an app that’s called HeatXtreme, and we have over 100 programs on there from eight-week programs to 12-minute programs, all beginner-friendly, advanced settings as well. We have over 20 class live classes on their weekly. We have motivational meetups every Monday with motivational speakers and we have accountability calls every Wednesday. For people that are trying to get into fitness, or just get healthier and understand that lifestyle, this is the perfect app. You don’t have to go to the gym, although we do have gym programs, you can do everything in the comfort of your home, and you can gradually watch yourself grow through the process.
